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CONNECTICUT 


AGRICOLIORAL  EXPERIMENT  SIATIOI 


NEV/     HAVEN,    CONN 


BULLETIN    132,    rEBRUARY,    1901. 


Condimental  and  Medicinal  Cattle  and  Poultry  Foods. 


CONNECTICUT    EXPERIMENT    STATION,    BULLETIN    I32. 


Notice  as  to  Bulletins. 

The  Bulletins  of  this  Station  are  mailed  free  to  citizens  of 
Connecticut  who  apply  for  them,  and  to  others  as  far  as  the 
limited  editions  permit. 

The  matter  of  all  the  Bulletins  of  this  Station,  in  so  far  as  it 
is  new  or  of  permanent  value,  will  be  made  part  of  the  Annual 
Report  of  the  Station  Stafl:'. 

All  Bulletins  earlier  than  No.  71  and  Nos.  72,  83,  86,  93,  100, 
102,  118  and  123  are  exhausted  and  cannot  be  supplied. 

Notice  as  to  Supply  of  Station  Reports. 

The  Station  has  no  supply  of  its  Annual  Reports  for  the  years 
1877,  1878,  1879,  1880,  1881,  1882,  1883,  1887,  1891,  1893 
(Pt.  II.),  1894  (Pt.  I.),  and  1895  (Pts.  I.  and  II.). 

The  Annual  Report  of  this  Station,  printed  at  State  expense, 
is  by  law  limited  to  an  edition  of  7,000  copies. 

After  exchanging  with  other  Experiment  Stations  and  Agri- 
cultural Journals,  the  Reports  remaining  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Station  will  be  sent  to  citizens  of  Connecticut  who  shall  season- 
ably apply  for  them,  and  to  others  as  long  as  the  supply  lasts. 

Former  Reports  Wanted. 

There  is  frequent  call  for  our  earlier  Annual  Reports  on  the 
part  of  public  libraries,  students,  chemists,  naturalists,  and 
station  workers. 

Persons  who  can  supply  copies  of  Reports  of  this  Station  for 
any  of  the  years  above  named,  will  be  likely  to  find  purchasers 
by  communicating  with  the  Director. 


CONDIMENTAL  AND  MEDICINAL  CATTLE  AND  POULTRY  FOODS.      3 


CONDIMENTAL    AND     MEDICINAL     CATTLE    AND 
POULTRY  FOODS. 

While  collecting  commercial  feeding  stuffs  for  analysis,  there 
were  bought  by  our  agents  samples  of  all  the  brands  of  Condi- 
mental  and  Medicinal  Cattle  and  Poultry  Foods,  which  were 
found  in  the  State. 

These  have  been  analyzed  by  the  Station  staff  and  have  also 
been  carefully  examined  microscopically  by  Mr.  Winton  to 
identify  the  materials  of  which  they  are  compounded. 

The  results  of  both  the  chemical  and  microscopic  analyses 
appear  in  the  table  on  pages  4-5,  and  may  be  summarized  as 
follows : 

Of  the  cattle  feeds,  three  have  24  per  cent,  and  more  of 
protein, — as  much  as  is  found  in  the  gluten  feeds, — four  others 
have  about  the  same  quantity  of  protein  as  wheat  bran,  and  one 
has  less  than  corn-meal  of  average  quality. 

No  one  of  them  is  a  "concentrated  feed"  in  the  common 
acceptation  of  that  word. 

Five  of  the  number  have  considerable  quantities  of  salt, 
amounting  in  one  case  to  more  than  16  per  cent.,  and  four 
contain  sulphur,  an  old-fashioned  "spring  medicine."  The 
largest  quantity  of  sulphur  found  was  3.90  per  cent.  Char- 
coal is  an  ingredient  of  five  of  the  cattle  foods. 

The  poultry  foods  are  not  very  different  from  the  cattle  foods, 
either  in  composition  or  in  the  materials  of  which  they  are  made. 

The  table  also  gives  in  detail  the  materials  out  of  which 
these  condimental  foods  are  prepared.  The  list  comprises  the 
common  feeds,  cotton-seed  meal,  linseed  meal,  wheat  feed, 
corn  meal  and  malt  sprouts,  and  the  old-time  remedies ;  sulphur, 
salt,  Epsom  salts,  charcoal,  cayenne,  gentian,  ginger,  turmeric 
and  fenugreek,  to  which  are  added  mustard  hulls  and  cocoa 
shells. 

The  poultry  foods  are  made  up  of  these  same  things  (some 
of  them  containing  considerable  quantities  of  salt),  and  in 
addition,  iron  oxide,  carbonate  of  lime  (shells),  and  ground 
bone. 


4  CONNECTICUT    EXPERIMENT    STATION,    BULLETIN     I32. 

CONDIMENTAL    AND    MEDICINAL 


3013 
I912 
1902 
I9OS 

1906 
1909 
19OI 

1908 

191I 
1910 
1903 
I914 

1904 
1913 


Cattle   Foods. 

Baum's  Stock  Food.  Baum's  Castorine  Co., 
Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Benjamin's  Food  for  Horses  and  Cattle.  Benja- 
min's Food  Co.,  Danburj',  Conn 

International  Stock  Food.  Int.  Food  Co.,  Minne- 
apolis— — 

Myer's  Royal  Horse  and  Cattle  Spice.  Niagara 
Falls,  N.  Y. 

Nutriotone.     Thorley  Food  Co.,  Chicago 

Orange  Electric  Food.  G.  E.  Vincent,  Catskill, 
N.  Y 

Pratt's  Animal  Regulator.     Philadelphia 

Medicated  Meal.  F.  C.  Sturtevant,  Hartford, 
Conn 

Poultry  Foods. 
Baum's    Poultry   Food.     Baum's    Castorine    Co., 
Syracuse 

Benjamin's  Poultry  Food. 

Dr.  Hess'  Poultry  Panacea.  Dr.  Hess  &  Clark, 
Ashland,  O _ 

International  Poultry  Food.  Int.  Food  Co.,  Min- 
neapolis   - 

Myer's  Royal  Poultry  Spice.  Niagara  Falls, 
N.   Y .-.. 

Pratt's  Poultry  Food.     Philadelphia 

Triplex  Poultry  Food.  Triplex  Food  Co.,  New 
Brunswick,   N.  J... -. 


2o 


Middletown. 

Meech  &  Stoddard  . 
Danbury. 

F.  C.  Benjamin  &  Co.  .    25 
New  London. 

A.   C.    Rogers... 25 

Norwich. 

J.  P.  Holloway 25 

Willimantic. 

A.  E.  Buck  &  Co 50 

Rockville. 

Edward  White 50 

New  London. 

Beebe  &  Bragaw 25 

Hartford. 

W.  H.   Toby 25 

Th  ompson  ville. 

H.  K.  Brainard 25 

Danbttry. 

F.  C.  Benjamin 25 

South  Norwalk. 

G.  C.  Stillson 25 

Norwich. 

Norwich  Grain  Co 25 

East  Hartford. 

W.  J.  Cox.. I  35 

Norwich. 

A.  A.  Beckwith [  25 

Waterbury.  \ 

Spencer  &  Pierpont ,   25 


2 
2 
2 
2 

3 

^% 

2 
2 

2 
2 


condimental  and  medicinal  cattle  and  poultry  foods.    5 
Cattle  and  Poultry  Foods. 


Ash. 

•a 

c 

2 

1           . 

■« 

1^ 

w 

PRINCIPAL    INGREDIENTS. 

-4. 

1        -a 

c 

a 

1° 

i 

c 
.2 

0 

0 

e 

E 

0 

3 

2 

II 

fa 

3013 

9.28 

12.27* 

1 

3-59  3-90 

25.84 

19-37 

25.19 

4-15 

Linseed  meal,  charcoal,  salt,  Epsom 
salts,  sulphur. 

I9I2 

6.92     5-52 

27.82 

7.57 

4592 

6.25 

Linseed  meal,  wheat  feed,  fenugreek. 

1902 

6.13  12.50 

8.38 

14-31 

14-51 

47.88 

4.67 

Wheat  feed,  cayenne,  a  bitter  drug.Tf  salt, 
charcoal. 

1905 

6.10  20.34 

16.52 

17.81 

5-84 

47-86 

2.05 

Linseed   meal,   corn    meal,   wheat  feed, 

mustard    hulls,     cocoa    shells,     malt 

i 

sprouts,  fenugreek,  turmeric,  salt. 

1906 

5.94  21.49 

13.10I    .83 

18.97 

5-IO 

42.23 

5-44 

Linseed  meal,   corn    meal,   wheat  feed, 

1 

cotton  seed  meal,  fenugreek,  salt,  char- 

1 

coal,  sulphur. 

1909 

6.80 

4.00 

40 

15-03 

7.81 

58.92 

7-04 

Corn  meal,  linseed  meal,  charcoal, 
sulphur. 

I9OI 

6.67 

12.40 

lO.II 

1 

9.69 

3-12 

63-75 

4-37 

Corn  meal,  fenugreek,  a  bitter  drug,^ 
salt,  charcoal. 

T9O7 

6.34 

8.94 



2.93 

24.10 

10.98 

39-08 

7-63 

Linseed  meal,  corn  meal,  ginger,  fenu- 
greek, a  bitter  drug,  sulphur. 

1908 

6.95 

16.68  f 

4.88  6.73 

19-53 

15.40 

32.62 

2.09 

Linseed  meal,  wheat  feed,  cayenne,  char- 

coal,  salt,   Epsom    salts,  iron    oxide. 

sulphur. 

I9II 

7.05 

5-42 

1 

29.19 

8.44 

42.92 

6.98 

Linseed  meal,  wheal  feed,  corn  meal, 
cotton  seed  meal,  mustard  hulls. 

I9IO 

6.98 

35-67t 

11.65  ---- 

11.94 

5-17 

37.80 

2.44 

Wheat  feed,  charcoal,  salt,  lime  carbon- 
ate, iron  oxide. 

1903 

6.79 

7.87 

2.26 

14.88 

13-97 

49.69 

6.80 

Wheat  feed,  cayenne,  a  bitter  drug, 
charcoal,  salt. 

I9I4 

6.17 

17.00 

12.88'.... 

j 
1 

18.19 

7-93 

45-42 

5-29 

Linseed  meal,  corn  meal,  wheat  feed, 
mustard  hulls,  cocoa  shells,  fenu- 
greek, turmeric,  cayenne,  salt. 

1904 

7.01 

6.28§  ---.;  .81 

14.87 

6.04 

56.94 

8.05 

Corn  meal,  wheat  feed,  a  bitter  drug, 
iron  oxide,  sulphur. 

I9I3 

5-76 

40.S7II:  ----    .93 

18.03 

4-57 

25-38 

4.46 

Linseed  meal,  wheat  feed,  charcoal, 
ground  bone,  lime  carbonate,  iron 
oxide,  sulphur. 

*  Of  which,  magnesia  1.57,  sulphuric  acid  2.03,  lime  0.80  and  carbonic  acid  0.85  per  cent. 

f  Of  which,  magnesia  0.66,  sulphuric  acid  1.82,  lime  0.63,  carbonic  acid  1.62,  phosphoric 
acid  1.22,  oxide  of  iron  1.89  and  sand  1.50  per  cent. 

X  Of  which,  lime  6.00,  carbonic  acid  5.98,  phosphoric  acid  1.09,  oxide  of  iron  2  97  and 
sand  0.88  per  cent. 

§  Of  which,  oxide  of  iron  1.12  per  cent. 

II  Of  which,  lime  19.29,  magnesia  0.54,  phosphoric  acid  11.67,  and  carbonic  acid  5.33  per 
cent. 

T[  Corresponds  with  gentian  in  microscopic  structure. 


O  CONNECTICUT    EXPERIMENT    STATION,    BULLETIN    I32. 

In  the  condimental  foods  examined  no  injurious  drugs  have 
been  found.  They  are  for  the  most  part  old-time  simple  reme- 
dies which  most  farmers  buy  very  cheaply  at  the  village  grocery 
or  drug  store  and  keep  in  the  house  for  use. 

There  are  only  two  things  which  call  for  further  notice. 

The  Claims  made  for  these  Feeds.  The  special  claims  made 
for  these  feeds  in  advertisements  and  on  the  containing  packages 
are  very  numerous  and  are  of  two  rather  distinct  kinds :  First, 
that  they  are  appetizers,  giving  an  agreeable  odor  and  taste 
to  the  feed,  thus  inducing  stock  to  eat  more  of  it,  and  also 
making  them  digest  it  better  than  they  otherwise  would. 
Secondly,  that  the  foods  have  great  medicinal  value. 

The  claims  made  under  this  latter  head  are  as  extravagant 
as  those  made  for  patent  medicines  sold  for  human  use  and  are 
supported  in  some  cases  by  testimonials  about  as  valuable.  For 
example : 

One,  "cures  hog  cholera,  makes  pigs  grow  quickly,  dairy  cows 
produce  more  butter  and  milk,  stops  slinking  of  calves     . 
and  regulates  horses." 

This  takes  the  place  of  another  article  made  by  the  same 
firm  and  is  "much  more  highly  concentrated."  This  highly 
concentrated  feed,  which  cures  hog  cholera,  contains  less  pro- 
tein than  any  other  of  the  condimental  foods  and  consists  of 
corn  meal,  salt,  charcoal,  fenugreek  and  a  bitter  drug,  probably 
gentian. 

Another,  which  "is  the  most  effectual  and  economical  remedy 
known  for  diseases  of  cattle,"  guaranteed  to  cure  "scowers"  in 
calves,  consists  of  corn  meal,  linseed  meal,  charcoal  and  sulphur. 

Still  another  "is  composed  of  laxatives  and  tonics  in  abund- 
ance, aromatics  in  just  proportion,  diuretics,  expectorants  and 
alteratives." 

This  beneficial  mixture  is  made  of  linseed  meal,  corn  meal, 
ginger,  fenugreek,  a  bitter  drug  and  sulphur. 

Other  brands  of  condimental  food  with  less  remarkable  claims 
for  medicinal  value  are  advertised  as  food  "auxiliaries,"  "appe- 
tizers," and  flesh  and  milk  producers. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  Poultry  Feeds  are  very  like 
the  Cattle  Feeds,  both  in  chemical  composition  and  in  materials 
used,  so  that  were  the  claims  of  the  manufacturers  all  valid, 
a  condimental  feed  which  would  cure  gapes  in  chickens  might 


CONDIMENTAL  AND  MEDICINAL  CATTLE  AND  POULTRY  FOODS.      7 

be  expected  to  increase  the  flow  of  milk  of  cows  and  also  to 
cure  hog  cholera. 

The  mildly  curative  properties  of  the  various  drugs  used  in 
these  feeds  are  well  understood  by  most  dairy  farmers,  as  well 
as  their  limitations. 

The  claims  that  by  the  use  of  condiments  and  spices  the 
digestibility  of  food  can  be  increased  and  in  this  way  a  saving 
of  feed  can  be  effected,  have  no  basis  in  fact.  No  experiments 
have  demonstrated  or  made  even  probable  such  an  effect.  Stock 
feeders  will  be  very  slow  to  believe  that  cotton-seed  meal,  linseed 
meal,  wheat  feeds,  or  corn  products  can  be  made  more  easily 
digestible  or  even  more  acceptable  to  healthy  cattle  by  mixing 
with  them  Epsom  salts,  charcoal,  ginger  or  fenugreek. 

The  Prices  of  Condimental  Feeds.  The  cheapest  of  those 
collected  in  this  State  cost  about  12^  cents  per  pound,  the 
most  expensive  20  cents. 

As  foods,  pure  and  simple,  such  prices  are  ridiculous  and 
prohibitive.  If  in  large  lots  they  can  be  bought  at  half  or  a 
quarter  of  the  rates  for  small  packages,  even  such  a  discount 
would  make  them  twice  as  costly  as  our  most  expensive  stand- 
ard feeds,  and  no  one  of  them  is  as  concentrated  a  feed  as 
either  cotton-seed  meal,  linseed  meal  or  gluten  meal. 

In  buying  medicines  mixed  at  a  drug  store  one  pays  very 
much  more  in  proportion  than  he  would  for  the  ingredients 
singly,  in  bulk,  and  in  much  larger  quantity.  He  pays  for  the 
convenience  of  having  all  of  them  accessible  in  one  place  in  as 
small  amount  as  he  desires,  mixed  accurately  according  to  his 
written  directions  and  put  up  to  be  conveniently  carried. 

There  is,  however,  absolutely  no  sense  in  buying  at  a  very 
high  price  a  lot  of  drugs  of  rather  mild  medicinal  properties, 
of  unknown  kinds  and  in  unknown  proportions,  which  claim 
to  take  the  place  of  a  part  of  the  food  and  to  cure  almost  every 
ill  and  defect  that  cattle  and  fowls  are  heir  to. 

Salt,  charcoal,  Epsom  salts,  sulphur,  fenugreek,  gentian, 
cayenne  and  ginger: — they  can  all  be  bought  probably  in  any 
village  in  Connecticut,  they  are  already  in  the  stables  of  many 
dairy  farmers  and  are  used  by  them,  their  value  is  well  known, 
and  also  their  uselessness  for  the  treatment  of  serious  illnesses. 


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